“Gravity Batteries”
Below is a claim about a type of energy storage that exists in great abundance today in the form of pumped hydro. We take off-peak electrical energy and use it to lift a mass against the force of gravity, converting the electrical energy to potential energy. Then, when we want to use that energy, we release the mass and allow it to come downhill, converting (most of) the potential energy back into electricity.Of course, the “mass” doesn’t have to be water; it can be anything fairly heavy, e.g., train cars laden with concrete blocks. See my posts on “advanced rail energy storage.”
These people claim that abandoned mines can be used instead of naturally occurring hills, and there is no scientific reason that they’re wrong.
Here is their claim with a few comments below:
Game-Changer for Energy Storage
Did you know abandoned mines can be repurposed into massive energy storage systems?
How It Works:
Excess energy lifts heavy weights when demand is low.
When energy is needed, the weights drop, spinning turbines to generate electricity.
Why Mines?
Existing Infrastructure – No need for new construction. Deep & Powerful – The deeper the mine, the more energy it can store. Eco-Friendly – No lithium, no pollution, just pure physics.The Future of Renewable Energy
Gravity batteries could revolutionize energy storage by making green power more reliable and stabilizing the grid.
Again, there is nothing that makes this theoretically impossible, and in fact, more than 90% of energy storage on this planet today utilizes this principle. The problem is that this combination of Newton (ca. 1660) and Faraday (ca. 1830) is as efficient and cost-effective as it will ever be, where battery technology is improving each year.
If there were a window of opportunity for “gravity batteries,” it has long since closed.
At the risk of sounding cynical, get used to it.
Although I’m reluctant to gainsay distinguished mathematicians/physicists, it’s hard to imagine that what 
With the passing of each day, we’re learning more about how Elon Musk fails to understand the most essential parts of the U.S. law.
At left we see a reader’s observation that the world has undergone some fundamental changes in the past few years.
When we look at people like RFK Jr. we’re forced to think: This guy just might be the very least qualified person for the job in the entire United States. He’s a crackpot, for sure, and he poses an extreme threat to the health and safety to every U.S. citizen. In Trump’s eyes, that makes him perfect for the job.
This is reminiscent of what the president of CBS said when Trump came on the political scene in 2015, something like: “I know he’s terrible for the country, but he’s terrific for CBS.”
This sounds good in principle, but is there any honesty here?
What American writer Sophia Dembling says here is correct, but in many cases there are also risks to speaking up.
The realization we all need to have concerning the meme at left is that human health is only one category of things that the current administration is in the process of wrecking.
